Saddam Hussein Execution and Nepal Maoist Reaction

Dictator Who Ruled Iraq With Violence Is Hanged for Crimes Against Humanity

BAGHDAD, Saturday, Dec. 30- Saddam Hussein, the dictator who led Iraq through three decades of brutality, war and bombast before American forces chased him from his capital city and captured him in a filthy pit near his hometown, was hanged just before dawn Saturday during the morning call to prayer. The final stages for Mr. Hussein, 69, came with terrible swiftness after he lost the appeal, five days ago, of his death sentence for the killings of 148 men and boys in the northern town of Dujail in 1982. –New York Times

Maoists flay Saddam Hussein’s execution

KATHMANDU, Dec 30 – The Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) on Saturday flayed the execution of deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Issuing a statement today, CPN-M spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara said the news of the execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has drawn “grave attention” of the party. CPN-M said, “Hussein’s execution – orchestrated by the Bush administration – is not only a grave violation of human right but also a glaring example of the US’s double standards on the issues of human rights and democracy.” “The CPN-M condemns the decision by the puppet government in Iraq to execute Saddam Hussein,” the release said, slamming the decision as a “blatant violation of human rights norms.” “Regardless of who killed whom, the act is against international humanitarian law and against the fundamental right to life,” the statement added.-eKantipur

It’s very difficult to support or condemn the execution of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. We might find it unsuitable because we don’t have the provision of execution in Nepal. And it is no new news that probably dozens of people are being executed daily in the world. While condemning the execution, we should not forget that what Saddam did against his people as a dictator was definitely crime against humanity. We can argue that capital punishment itself is not a good form of punishment but while doing so it wouldn’t be appropriate to single out certain case and express our opinion for or against it. There is legal provision of capital punishment in many countries including the United States, China and India and people are being executed daily in those countries after their judiciary decides to use that form of punishment. There is whole lot of movement going on in the world for and against the capital punishment. I am happy that we don’t have such form of punishment in Nepal and wish other countries also get rid of this. But I don’t want to single out the Saddam Hussein case and say that it’s bad.

Yes, I am against the capital punishment but I don’t want to single out the any specific case and condemn the execution of Saddam Hussein. Execution itself it bad! And I agree with Nepali Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala that “capital punishment should be abolished from the world.” “The death penalty is against human civilization,” Koirala told journalists today.

Capital punishment is a contentious issue. Supporters of capital punishment argue that it deters crime, prevents recidivism, and is an appropriate punishment for the crime of murder. Opponents of capital punishment argue that it does not deter criminals more than life imprisonment, violates human rights, leads to executions of some who are wrongfully convicted, and discriminates against minorities and the poor. It is also argued that capital punishment is a hypocritical punishment, especially in murder cases, as it implies killing a certain individual is wrong before exacting the same action upon them.

Now about the Maoist reaction on the execution. Even if the Maoist statement says “regardless of who killed whom” it is not difficult to conclude that the rage comes because the United States, the enemy of the Maoists, is involved in the execution. The irony is that Maoists themselves have performed same kind of execution of many innocent Nepali in Nepal when they were waging peoples’ war. Who will forget the inhuman execution of Mukti Nath Adhikari? What about those, to use the words from the Maoists statement, “blatant violation of human rights norms” comrades? I think first Maoists should see themselves in mirror before commenting on others’ deeds.